EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products Presented by Peter Grosser MedHerbs, Aunelstrasse 70, D Wiesbaden, Germany Tel , Fax

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products Visitors to the EUSTAS Website

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products Visitors to the EUSTAS Website in June % are located in a German speaking country

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products What are consumers expecting from Stevia-Products in the future? German Consumers Survey in 2007

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products Will steviol glycosides be safe after approval by EFSA? How much residue? What level of purity? What composition of steviol glycosides?

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products This concept checks whether the raw material complies with a certain standard before its marketing and processing 2...assigns a quality mark for the accepted quality 3...checks and guarantees the compliance with set quality standards during processing EUSTAS is offering a concept of quality control and quality assurance that will guarantee the requirements of the EFSA, the expectation of the industry and those of the consumers.

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products 1. Scope of application 2. Quality standards 3. Methods of verification 4. Control procedure 5. Legally binding contracts 6. Awarding of certification mark 7. Penalties in cases of breach 8. Costs The EUSTAS Quality Assurance consists of the following common areas:

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products -General Food Law regulation (EC) 178/2002 -Regulation (EC) 852/2004 applies for the hygiene -Regulation (EC) 396/2005 sets binding maximum -residue levels for pesticides, heavy metals and -microbiological contamination in foodstuffs European Food Laws:

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products Quali ty Stan dard for Stevi ol Glyc osid es Definition “Steviol glycosides” is the group of compounds derived from Stevia rebaudiana. The main sweeteners are stevioside and rebaudioside A. However, in the mixtures of steviol glycosides, also rebaudioside C and dulcoside A are often encountered, as well as traces of other sweeteners. Steviol glycosides that are in accordance with this quality label, will be sold as “EUSTAS Stevia glycosides” Description White hygroscopic crystalline powder having a sweet taste about 300x sweeter than sucrose Identification A. Solubility B. Melting point MS and NMR Good in water and alcohol and is sufficient for the use in eg. soft drinks. Pure stevioside: 1.25 g/l, rebaudioside A: 3.5g/l stevioside: 198 °C, rebaudioside A: 247°C PurityAt least 95% purity of the mixture Water contentNot more than 6 % (loss on drying, 105°C, 2h) Total Ash<1% Residual solventsNot more than 200 mg/kg methanol and not more than 5000mg/kg ethanol SteviolComplete absence Presence of other sweetenersAbsent Heavy metals Nickel Arsenic Lead Cadmium <10 mg/kg dry wt. <1 mg/kg dry wt. Micro-biological purity - Aerobic mesophilic bacteria - Salmonella - E. coli - Bacillus cereus Not more than 10 3 /g dry wt. Absent in 25 g dry wt. absent Residue Analysis Pesticides< maximum levels of pesticides (EU regulation 396/2005) Fungicides< maximum levels of pesticides (EU regulation 396/2005) Others< maximum levels of pesticides (EU regulation 396/2005)

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products EUSTAS Quality Standard for Stevia Leaves ParameterEUSTAS Quality Standard, Stevia dry leaves, variety Criolla ColorGreen Water content (%)<12% Total steviol glycosides Minimum 10% Total Ash (550 0 C,%)<8.5% Visible ImpuritiesImpurities of animal or mineral origin are categorically barred Heavy metals Nickel Arsenic Lead Cadmium <2 mg/kg dry wt. <3 mg/kg dry wt. <2 mg/kg dry wt. Micro-biological purity - Aerobic mesophilic bacteria - Enterobacteriaceae - Salmonella - E. coli - Bacillus cereus Not more than 10 7 /g dry wt. Not more than 3x10 4 /g dry wt. Absent in 25 g dry wt. <10/g dry wt. <10 4 /g dry wt. Residue Analysis Pesticides< maximum levels of pesticides (EU regulation 396/2005) Fungicides< maximum levels of pesticides (EU regulation 396/2005) Others< maximum levels of pesticides (EU regulation 396/2005)

EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products critical points: - Balanced financing - A precise analysing method for kSteviol Glycosides EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products

Thank you very much for your kind attention. EUSTAS Quality Assurance for Stevia Raw Products